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November
28th ,
2007

The new promotees to Juryo and the
retiring rikishi were announced today. The new promotees are all first
timers: Tochinoshin from
Georgia, Tamawashi from Mongolia, Kimurayama, Kirinowaka and Wakakouyuu (Yakigaya) from Japan.
The number of foreign sekitori is now the most ever - 21. Of the 17
retirees, ex-Makuuchi Buyuuzan
is the prominent one.

November 27th ,
2007

Ozeki Kotomitsuki who had been suffering
from gall bladder problems before last basho underwent surgery today
and had it removed. he is slated to leave the hospital on December the
1st, As for participating in the winter jungyo that starts December
2nd, there is no definite answer.

November 25th ,
2007

Sumo is in a bad way. The Kyushu
tournament has just ended, and instead of doing it on a high note,
another sour note is added to the very sour year sumo has undergone.
First, the match-fixing allegations resulting in a pending trial soon
to start. Then, the sport's leading athlete gets suspended from two
tounaments for allegedly faking an illness. Then, the vioent death of a
young rikishi who was hazed to death during training. And today, the
strange non-appearance of Ozeki Chiyotaikai
who was a contender for the championship, because of a
purported injury. Add the strange way KaioU
got his kachikoshi, when most of his veteran opponents seemed not to
want to be the ones responsible for his retirement. All very
disheartening to a true sumo fan. Allegations of a conspiracy have
already began floating by.
One thing is for sure-the Sumo Kyokai better get its act together
finally and quickly, otherwise the already thinning crowds at the
venues will become even thinner. The Kyokai elections are coming up in
January-maybe its time for change.

August 29th ,
2007

After being diagnosed with
"depression" and other mental disorders, Yokozuna Asashouryuu has been allowed to
return to Mongolia where he is supposed to undergo physical and mental
treatment. His Oyakata has gone with him to see that he sticks to
treatment and nothing else. The Kyokai elders who were quick to
dish out an extremely severe punishment had problems implementing it,
as Asashouryuu
uncharacteristically seems to have broken down mentally, throwing them
a curve ball they did not anticipate. At the behest of Kyokai appointed
physicians, he has now been allowed to leave Japan, as it was believed
it would be best for him to leave Japan for now. The September
tournament commences September 9th, without the suspended Yokozuna.

August 1st , 2007

Yokozuna Asashouryuu has been suspended for
the next 2 basho in an unprecedented move by the NSK, after seemingly
feigning illness to miss the summer jungyo. He was also fined 30% of
his salary for the next 4 months and will not be allowed to be seen in
public until the final day of the Kyushu tournament. his Oyakata was
alsoget qa 3 month 30% salary reduction.

July
26th, 2007

The new Asashouryuu scandal is gathering
speed. The Jungyo department will convene on the 27th for an emergency
meeting
to decide how to deal with Asa's behavior. there are voices that say
this can even bring his career to an end. "He should be in a hospital
and be treated for his injury. If he's in Mongolia, he should be
treated there and not do stuff that can be misinterpreted..", said Kitanoumi rijicho to Takasago Oyakata, BEFORE this
happened. After a
few hours, it did happen..
The
game was held on the training grounds of the National stadium.
Participating were Japanese kids and Nakata and others, surely a
high-profile event. Asashouryuu
was running around gleefully and even scored a
goal. All this was shown on prime time TV in Japan in the evening,
giving the unmistakable impression that the Yokozuna was faking an
illness.
The Oyakatas will convene and decide what to do. The jungyos are very
important to
the kyokai, especially these days. Local sponsors have invested a lot
of money in bringing the rikishi there, and would of course want the
top guys to show themselves. In the past, an injured Yokozuna would at
least participate in the dohyo-iri and interact with the fans. They
will have to do something about
this. Worst case scenario - retiring Asa.
My guess - bench him for
September with a final warning. Which of course will be ignored at some
point in the future. Throwing him out now with only one yusho less than
Takanohana will bring
those "xenophobia" accusations out of the
woodworks. Additionally, at this stage in sumo's life, Asa is
vital for ticket sales.

January
26th,
2007

The NSK has announced a London
trip in October 2009. This will be the second trip by the rikishi-the
first
one was back in 1991. The venue will be the Royal Albert Hall ,between
the 7th-11th of October.

September
28th,
2006

The NSK (Japanese Sumo Association) has
decided on new
criteria for any Oyakata wishing to establish a new heya (stable)
today. Minimum 25 tournaments at Sanyaku,
or 60 bashos in Makuuchi. Reason given - a lot of ex-college rikishi
have
become heya owners after retiring, and their relative short tenure as
active wrestlers makes it hard for them to be able to fully teach their
deshi the right
manners etc.. Another reason - the current number of 54 is too many in
the view of the NSK.
Ex-Ozeki/Yokozuna will be allowed to establish new
heya regardless of basho numbers. But- a year must pass after their
retirement before being allowed to establish a new heya. Until
now , there
were no clear rules in the Kyokai "rule book" concerning criteria for
establishing new heya. the criteria for taking over existing heya
remains the same- 12 Makuuchi basho or 20 basho as sekitori. "To bring
up a rikishi well, you need to be strict. It's not that there are many
Oyakata
who are not, but it's the Oyakata's responsibility!!", said Kitanoumi
Rijicho.

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